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People's Liberty announces first grant winners

Two Cincinnati men have each received $100,000 from a philanthropic organization that wants to improve the city.  People's Liberty named Brad Cooper and Brad Schnittger as the first recipients of the Haile Fellowship. 

“I can’t begin to express how rewarding it was to call both of the grantees, to let them know they’d be taking on their dream projects next year,” said Jake Hodesh, People’s Liberty’s vice president of operations. “Both indicated how their lives would never be the same.”

Cooper's project is called Start Small, and he will design and build 200 square foot houses in Over-the-Rhine, to encourage home ownership, energy efficiency, and to promote smaller living spaces. 

Schnittger is developing MusicLi, an online music publisher, which he says will be devoted to licensing and publishing local musicians, giving them access to advertising and marketing firms, with the idea of giving them more exposure. 

In addition to the grants, Cooper and Schnittger will also receive office space and support from People's Liberty, which is funded by the Haile Foundation.

People’s Liberty received 31 applications for this first grant.

Bill Rinehart started his radio career as a disc jockey in 1990. In 1994, he made the jump into journalism and has been reporting and delivering news on the radio ever since.